Two senior Islamic State leaders were killed in an air strike in northeastern Syria on July 13, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

Sixteen Asia-Pacific nations started a new round of negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 13 to eliminate import duties. 

The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is calling for nominations for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) People’s Award 2015 in conjunction with the establishment of the ASEAN Community (AC) at the end of this year. 

Car bombs and suicide attacks targeting mainly Shi'ite Muslim districts of Baghdad killed 35 people on July 12, one of the heaviest recent tolls in the Iraqi capital, which has faced a wave of bombings by Islamic State militants.

Iran and six world powers were close to nailing down a historic nuclear deal that would bring sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on Tehran's atomic program, but the Iranian foreign minister said no agreement would be announced on July 12.

Islamic State on July 13 released an audio tape it said was of the movement's leader for Afghanistan, contradicting reports that he was killed in a US drone strike.

Skeptical euro zone finance ministers demanded on July 11 that Greece go beyond painful austerity measures accepted by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras if he wants them to open negotiations on a third bailout for his bankrupt country to keep it in the euro.

The top Islamic State commander in Afghanistan has been killed by a US air strike in the country's east, officials said on July 11, the fourth ex-Taliban who declared loyalty to the Middle East-based militants to be assassinated within a week.

Seven fatalities and a dozen injuries have resulted from recent violent attacks and bomb detonations in Thailand’s war-torn south.

A suicide bomber driving a three-wheeled vehicle detonated near the office of state security in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri on July 11, two security sources said.